If I was being lazy with this month’s Question it would be, ‘What’s your New Year’s Resolution?’ (in the interest of complete honesty and transparency that was my initial idea lol. Give me a break, we just had Christmas!!)
So I started playing with the idea, resolutions and what they are supposed to achieve.
January can be a tough month. December and the Christmas period can leave us over fed and under financed. If we’ve had a wonderful Christmas in the bosoms of those we love best it can all feel a bit flat come early January. If Christmas wasn’t that great it’s even worse.
Now add in the idea that we suddenly have to reform ourselves for this brand new year ahead. It’s cold, dark and miserable outside (or if you’re in the southern hemisphere, maybe it’s just too hot to think for you?) – no wonder it’s so easy to duck beneath the duvet and eat another chocolate (or crack open another cold one under the aircon, southerners).
Ideas like Veganuary, Dry January, taking out a gym membership, resolving to keep a daily diary etc etc etc are all laudable, but how much more tempting it is to just say ‘resolutions are for breaking’ and have a bag of crisps and a glass of something nice and curl up in front of the telly?
So, as my own resolutions should probably include avoiding the laziness of the very obvious, the Question for January is…..“What ISN’T your New Year Resolution for 2025?”
Mine: I resolve NOT to beat myself up for taking an extra day or three between my runs. Just to clarify, I’m not giving myself a free pass for the ‘I really need a run but I can’t be bothered getting out there’ days. This is about the times when the only sensible and/or feasible solution is not to run. Life circumstances, work or family commitments, injury or significant twinges, real tiredness or maybe the weather is just plain hostile.
The longer I go between runs, the more temptation there is to give into the voices in my head. They say, ‘I’m not a proper runner, I’ll never do this, I’m failing.’ The simple truth is they are wrong. If any of those things were true I wouldn’t be fretting about it, I’d just change the channel and eat another biscuit with a clear conscience. So this year I’m not going to dwell on the runs I can’t or didn’t do, I’m going to make sure the runs which I manage really count.
So what won't YOU be doing this year??
PS New Year’s Day hasn’t always been 1st January, it used to be in March or April. If you really want to start giving up bad habits and form good ones it can be so much easier in the springtime. Dry March doesn’t sound too bad at all and who knows, maybe Vegapril could catch on!
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Yesletsgo
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Ooh I like this! As I’m injured (again!!) I’m resolving not to hold on to plans and goals too tightly. I like having goals to keep me on track, but last year was a nightmare for being blown off course by all sorts of things. I’m embracing being flexible and celebrating whatever comes out of that.
There was a post on my Facebook feed this morning I really liked… see photo!
Fantastic, the goals and plans are there for us, to remind us what we can do if all goes well but sometimes it doesn't. It's sort of like mindfulness I suppose, when things don't go to as they should we look at the plan, acknowledge it and move on.
Two things for me which don't quite answer it head on...
The first is that I do not anticipate making a start on (necessary) weight loss efforts until February, there's just too much eating up to be done before that (and waste stresses me)
The other is that I won't, in general, have any resolutions that push for 'more' - further, faster, more often.
Happy New Year to you GoogleMe . What a sensible attitude. Get January out of the way, get back to routine and then start the tweaking.
By February the days are a little bit longer, the green shoots and spring flowers are appearing and the mood is so much better for things like eating less and getting active.
Those 'more' resolutions, hmm, great when you write them down on paper, so annoying when you find you can't, for whatever reason, manage them (from a woman who has had the NRC 5k plan open on the app for the last couple of months reminding me about what I haven't done...actually, you've inspired me to press the 'end' button, so thank you for that, it's closed. I'm now starting the new year with a new slate )(apart from this of course: healthunlocked.com/bridgeto..., but at least the Group 10k won't be glaring disapprovingly from my phone every time I decide to do a run 😂)
My irresolution is not to assume I can do something, and also not to assume that I can't. Whilst I'd like to do a Run Every Day January this year, I foresee there will be days where that's going to be impractical. Take each day as it comes and don't let an opportunity pass by.
Sometimes I wonder about the way 'strong' is just used as a general term of admiration. Yes, it's good to be physically strong but emotionally let's acknowledge that we are human and have weaknesses. If we try too hard to be strong the consequences aren't necessarily good.
One of the reasons we are on this forum is to support each other when the going gets tough. Much better to let it be known we need some help, it's good to both receive and give support.
Thanks for this really important non-Resolution Oldfloss ♥
Hi Yesletsgo …good question you have put out there…I’m NOT going to put too much pressure on myself either so yes I’m doing RED Jan but if I miss a day I’ll just make up for it another way and not beat myself up about it
You know my running journey over these last 7 years Oldfloss …I’ve had my ups and downs & I remember you telling me a good few years ago not to put too much pressure on myself when I miss runs or have walk breaks when I’m running…& you also know how busy I am with my business so I’m going to try tweak that too 🙂 x
This year ( like last) I am not making any resolutions and instead of thinking of all the flaws I may need to fix in myself at the start of the year I will resolve to accept and embrace myself as I am flaws and all. I have spent far too long trying to fit into a perceived mould. I stopped drinking alcohol and started running 2 years ago and have never felt so good and healthy So this year let’s just see where me, myself and I go, warts and all!
Great to hear of another really positive non-Resolution.
I stopped drinking for 15 years, best thing I ever did. Since I started again I seem to have pretty much lost the taste for it, and the less I drink, the less I want to.
Good luck for 2025, sounds like you are off to a great start
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Happy New Running Year 🏃🏻♀️😊🏃♂️
Nearly…. but not quite!
Happy New Year (nearly my runniversary)
It’s that time of the year again. 
